Press Releases

Webwasher Taps Mailshell To Fight Spam - SpamCatcher Engine Integrated Into WebWasher® CSM Products

Paderborn, Germany, and San Francisco, CA, USA - April 9th, 2003 - Webwasher, a leading provider of Internet Content Security Software, and Mailshell, creator of SpamCatcher, the easiest and most accurate anti-spam engine, today announced plans to join forces to fight spam at the enterprise gateway. Webwasher will integrate Mailshell's SpamCatcher engine into its SpamEquator™ - the multi-method anti-spam module available with WebWasher® Content Security Management (CSM) products for the enterprise. SpamCatcher's combined rules- and database-driven approach complements the existing anti-spam methods available with WebWasher® CSM products. The WebWasher® CSM products featuring the SpamCatcher engine will be available in May.

With Mailshell's SpamCatcher, webwasher adds a powerful and proven technology to its optional SpamEquator™ module. As a core component of the WebWasher® CSM Suite and WebWasher® PG (Protected Gateway) products, SpamEquator™ already harnesses the strengths of a number of database and rule-driven methods through its MethodMi™ technology. Existing anti-spam methods include Bayesian filters, rule lists, and WebWasher's DynaBLocator™ URL database, that enables sender domain and URL based spam detection. With the integration of Mailshell's SpamCatcher, WebWasher now provides a high-performance technology that protects corporate networks from 90 to 99 percent of all spam, while delivering valid messages and saving employees and companies the time and expense wasted on unwanted e-mails.

SpamCatcher uses more than a thousand spam-blocking rules, including pattern matches, heuristic functions, and proprietary and third-party databases. Complex algorithms are applied to compute the probability that each piece of e-mail is spam. SpamCatcher also creates a fingerprint ID for every e-mail message and uses it to continuously analyze new spam, create new rules and adjust the weighting of existing rules. Since spam constantly evolves, customers can opt to receive scheduled or real-time rules updates without interrupting message delivery. Webwasher customers will have full administrative control of SpamCatcher features through WebWasher's browser-based user interface.

Dr. Horst Joepen, CEO of webwasher: "Mailshell is an ideal partner whose server-based solutions complement WebWasher's ability to increase security, reduce network load, and centralize enterprise IT management. With the full integration of SpamCatcher, our SpamEquator™ module achieves a new dimension of spam detection accuracy that was previously considered to be impossible. WebWasher® CSM products now offer the industry's most extensive control and security of enterprise Internet traffic, while preserving the relevant information companies need to do business."

"Webwasher's content security products offer its customers superior accuracy and reliability," said Tonny Yu, president of Mailshell. "By using our developers' tools to integrate the SpamCatcher engine into its applications, WebWasher also now provides exceptional spam-blocking technology within an existing security suite that its customers already trust and value highly."

About Webwasher
Webwasher AG is one of the leading providers of Internet security solutions for companies and public institutions. On the basis of their own technology developments as well as by cooperating with leading technology partners, the company develops and markets innovative products for the growing Content Security Management market. With Internet Access Management, Internet Content Filtering, E-mail and Spam Filtering, Virus Protection and Reporting, companies can optimize their Internet usage and protect themselves effectively and efficiently from threats and annoyances arising from the Internet. The server-based WebWasher solutions are deployed by over 4,000 companies worldwide - among them 17 US Fortune 500 companies. Webwasher has established strategic partnerships with Network Appliance, Check Point, Computer Associates, and Network Associates. For more information please visit http://www.webwasher.com.

About Mailshell
Mailshell is the creator of SpamCatcher, the easiest solution to spam. The company's products include anti-spam software developers' tools and a suite of enterprise and personal anti-spam products. Mailshell recently earned an "Editor's Choice" award in PC Magazine's review of spam filters, and has been dubbed "priceless" by Forbes magazine, "excellent" by the Associated Press and "easy to use" by CNET. Mailshell is based in Santa Clara, CA, with an additional office in San Francisco. For more information visit http://www.mailshell.com.

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